In 1991, the UNESCO Staff Association
(since 1995 the UNESCO Staff Union)
established the René Maheu International
Civil Service Prize, as a tribute to René
Maheu, a staff member of UNESCO from 1946
to 1974 and from 1961 to 1974 its Director-General. The prize is based on a fund created
with contributions from staff members
and institutions and is intended “to promote the standing of the
international civil service in the service
of international cooperation, so
as to encourage persons or groups
of persons to continue their work.”
The Prize is intended to reward a
person or group that has accomplished
outstanding action or work
for the defence, promotion, independence
or security of the international
civil service. Nominations are
submitted by staff associations and
unions of the UN system and staff
associations and unions of other
intergovernmental organizations in
working relations with UNESCO.
The winner is selected by a jury
made up of six members of the
UNESCO Staff Union, elected for
four years by the Union’s Council
and chaired ex officio by the President
of the Union. The Prize is
awarded every two years.
In 1995, the René Maheu International
Civil Service Prize was
awarded to the Association for the
Security and Independence of International
Civil Servants (ASIICS),
Geneva. In 1997, the Prize was
awarded to Sir Brian Urquhart, staff
member of the United Nations from
1945 to 1986 and author of several
works concerning the functioning
and future of the United Nations.
This year, the prize was awarded
to FICSA, in recognition of “activities
in the defence of international
civil servants before inter-agency
bodies and the legislative organs of
the United Nations on common system
issues. For over fifty years,
FICSA has been the voice of staff in
the Fifth Committee of the UN General
Assembly and all inter-agency organs which
hold sway over conditions of service in the
common system.”
An award ceremony will be held at
UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on 8 December
2005 at 18:30. In discussing arrangements
for the ceremony, UNESCO STU and FICSA
decided to seize this occasion to organize a
two-day round table on the future of staff representation
in the United Nations system on 8
and 9 December. Further information about
the ceremony and roundtable will be made
available when plans are finalized.
FICSA is awarded
the René Maheu International Civil Service Prize
